Massey and German historians in joint WWI research

Massey and German historians in joint WWI research

Massey historians and creative artists are joining forces with Germany’s top military scholars to shed light on Germany’s perspectives on its role in the Pacific during the World War I.

Massey military historians Professor Glyn Harper, Associate Professor James Watson and Dr Damien Fenton met this week with Professor Michael Epkenhans, head of research division at the Bundeswehr Center of Military History and Social Sciences in Potsdam, and Dr Hans-Hubertus Mack, director of the Center.

Professor Kingsley Baird and Euan Roberston, from the College of Creative Arts, also attended the meeting to discuss their work with the WHAM (War, History, Heritage, Art and Memory) research network.

Dr Mack said the visit to New Zealand signalled a new level of interest in Germany about the nation’s wartime activities in the Pacific, particularly in Samoa and the Solomon Islands, parts of which were under German colonial rule at the outbreak of the war in 1914.

He and Professor Epkenhans discussed themes and ideas for research collaboration and academic exchanges in the future during a visit to Massey’s Wellington campus. It was the first visit by professional military historians from Germany to New Zealand.

Dr Mack says until fairly recently, German interest in World War I had been overshadowed by the legacies of World War II. German interest in World War I has been primarily focused on the battles of the Western and Eastern Fronts in Europe.

Professor Epkenhans and Dr Mack gave three public lectures in Wellington during their stay, including at Te Papa Museum.

Professor Harper says the visit was “timely, as we were able to highlight the significant amount of new research being undertaken in New Zealand on the First World War. Massey University, through the Centenary History Programme and the WHAM network, are playing a key role in this.”

Potential areas for future collaboration discussed at the meeting included conference speaking opportunities, visiting scholar programmes and the possibility of delivering a joint block course, or Massive Open Online Course (MOOC).

New Zealand’s Anzac forces fought against German troops and their allies in World War I (1914-1918) and World War II (1939-1945).

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